


Rad's YE fics

by rad



Category: Tenkuu no Escaflowne | The Vision of Escaflowne
Genre: F/M, Gen, Other, Yearly Escaflowne
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-11
Updated: 2019-06-09
Packaged: 2019-10-06 10:35:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 7,294
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17343731
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rad/pseuds/rad
Summary: Archiving my personal Yearly Esca prompt fills.





	1. 2017 - 1 - Romance (VH, Eweek #1)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 1 (light / dreaming) [approx. 405 words] (Eweek 1/16/2017)
> 
> HAPPY EARLY BIRTHDAY @fayrinferno!! (dA says its in four days, tell me if it’s wrong!! XD) Thank you for sharing your gorgeous art with us and all the hard work you do with the translations! We’re so blessed to have you! 
> 
> Inspired by Fayrinn’s picture! (http://www.deviantart.com/fayrinn/art/Escaflowne-Night-Flight-555498223)

Hitomi ran her hand through her hair then removed the earbuds from her ears. Turning the iPad off and setting it beside her pillow she pulled the covers from the middle of the bed. Getting comfortable and adjusting the blanket just so, her eyes wandered her dark room. They landed on the drawer with her tarot cards in them…

She hadn’t done a reading in a few years, not since her adventure on Gaea. No visions, terrible or otherwise, had visited her either. Hitomi let out a sigh, thinking about her time on the other planet, thinking about him.

They hadn’t spoken in a while - Hitomi was busy with school and a new job and Van was fending off marriage proposals from countries far-flung and nearby.

Jealousy didn’t tug at her heart, not about Van. They were first loves but they were star-crossed. He was meant to rule a country and she appreciated being home. (Indoor plumping and running water certainly had their perks.) She smiled, thinking about the poor boy-man trying to navigate politics and women.

Her eyes drifted closed to thoughts of what he must be going through.

—

After signing his name one last time, Van set his quill to the side and rubbed his eyes. The council was nagging him to choose a bride and they wanted it done sooner rather than later. He still felt like he was too young but he understood their desire for haste. There were rumors of another country eyeing the territory next door and wanting to bypass peace treaties to get it. Nothing solid yet but unity was better than not.

He was going to do it right, though, not hastily.

The pendant pulsed a little warmer against his chest. She must be thinking about him. It had been a nice distraction earlier during the council meetings, though it hadn’t been as noticeable then. They hadn’t spoken in a while, or whatever it was they did that bridged whole planets. It didn’t weigh on Van that they hadn’t talked, they each had their lives to live.

Leaning over, he blew out the single lit candle on his desk.

Van shucked off his shirt and crawled into bed. He held the softly glowing pendant in his hand and reminded himself to talk to Hitomi tomorrow - it was much too late now. Eventually the pendant’s slow flicker matched his heartbeat and watching it lulled him to sleep.


	2. 2017 - 3 - PnF (F/D: Marlene, MxA)

Ahahaha FINALLY my entry for @yearlyesca‘s Pic’n’Fic prompt of fate/destiny.

Of course its an Aston sister and dedicated to @millerna as anything Aston sister I write always is. Title and a few lines borrowed from the Savage Garden song.

@gasexplosionatthescalpelfactory your turn!!

Approx 630 words

\-----------------------------------------------------

Truly, Madly, Deeply

Marlene tread the well-worn path to Mother’s villa, her head tilted down, eyes not taking in the flowers and bushes along the walkway. She had made this journey many times; her feet did not need her direction to take her to her destination. This time though, this would be her last journey to the villa.

She breathed out, listening to the footsteps of the young man behind her.

Delusion had fooled her into thinking she had time, they had time; that she had a choice. Marlene had allowed herself to live in that delusion for as long as she had. It was her fate, as was the fate of all women born of the blood before her and after her, that her life was not her own. She was a bargaining chip, merely a prize to be won and a trophy to be displayed.

Father could do much worse than the Duke of Freid.

But it was not her choice.

Marlene’s choice was behind her.

Automatically her hand opened the door to the villa.

“Do you desire company or quiet, my princess?”

He was always much better at keeping up the pretense than she was, especially in public.

Breathing in, Marlene made her choice. “Please Allen, come in tonight.”

“As you wish.”

If only it were that simple.

She sat on the chaise as he closed the door. Allen turned away from her, as if to make his way to the chair opposite the room that he usually occupied. Softly Marlene spoke, “Allen, hold me, please.” Turning, Allen changed direction. He removed his sword belt before joining her on the chaise, wrapping his arms around her. Marlene curled into him, burying her face into the soft scarf at his neck.

Allen tightened his arms around her, then began to run the fingers of one hand through her hair.

‘If only we could stay like this forever.’

For a few moments Marlene watched as the night stars shone brightly in the velvet sky through the window behind the chaise. Making her wish and sending it off to Jichia, she breathed in the scent of the man holding her. Sitting up a little, Marlene sought Allen’s mouth for a kiss.

One kiss turned to many and neither spoke as the door to the bedroom closed.

~*~

Marlene stood next to the window as the two moons in the night sky bathed her in their light, illuminating the sleeping man in the bed behind her. The light reflected off his blonde hair, turning into gold and haloing him into a god of old. Wiping away a few tears from her cheek, Marlene whispered, “I love you Allen. You can never know how truly, madly, deeply I love you. I wish we could spend forever together. But it is not to be. Our fates are not intertwined, though I am glad that our paths could cross for what little time they did. I should not have allowed myself to act upon my love for you; me, the eldest Princess of Asturia. But I cannot help it that you are what my heart wants. Tonight was our night together, our last night. I thank you for letting me be Marlene tonight as tomorrow I must become Duchess of Freid.”

Turning from the beauty of the night sky, Marlene walked to Allen’s side. She watched him sleep soundly for a few moments, her guardian and her love. Tucking a strand of hair behind his ear, she bent and gently kissed his forehead. “My heart and my love will forever be yours,” she whispered.

She made her way around the bed to the other side and pulled up the sheet, again laying down for the night.

The moons accepted her confession in the lonely hour.


	3. 2017 - 4 - Shifting Focus (Merle, Eweek #2)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eweek 2017 Day 2 (survival / loss) [approx. 360 words]
> 
> Originally I was going to focus on Van…. HA.

Sniffling, Merle used one paw to scrub at her eyes. Her heart thumped wildly in her chest as she watched people enter the palace’s courtyard. Other than Lord Van’s coronation and Princess Millerna and Merchant Dryden’s wedding, she’d never  _seen_ so  **many people**. And she had to stand in front of them and say something.

Stuff.

A lot of something.

Quietly mewling her nervousness, Merle continued to wring her hands.

She jumped a foot off the ground and let out a surprised growl when a hand landed gently on her shoulder.

“Lord Van!”

“You’ll do fine Merle, I have faith in you.” He smiled encouragingly at her.

“Th-thank you Lord Van! I’ll be sure to do you proud.”

“I know you will; just say what’s in your heart.”

Merle returned his smile.

As the bell sounded the hour, Van walked to the stairs of the palace. “Fanelians, I thank you for coming today. The reason for our gathering is a sad one, but those that have gone before us wouldn’t want us to remain stuck in the past forever. We lay them to rest today with promises to rebuild Fanelia and continue with our lives until we meet them again.”

Merle smiled, pride swelling in her heart. Van didn’t play with his sword or shuffle his feet or stumble over his words. His speech sounded a bit rehearsed, or at least thought-out. Why hadn’t she done that??

The crowd murmured agreement and Van stepped to the side, motioning for Merle to take his spot.

She almost bolted.

Carefully she stood exactly where he had, hands behind her back. “Th-thank you for coming today…” She gripped her hands tighter, words failing her. 

Suddenly she flung out one hand towards Van.

“Please, take the hand of the person next to you.”

He’d already begun toward her before she finished.

Raising her head to the sky, Merle said, “We ask that you guide those we’ve lost to a better place. We’ll continue on, down here - it will hurt for a while - until we meet with them again, happily. We’ll remember them in our hearts and around our tables and hearths until that time.”

Van squeezed her hand.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> wiredclover said “tables and hearths” for the ESS last year and I borrowed it. (http://wiredclover.tumblr.com/post/136504037212/)


	4. 2018 - 3 - PnF (P,P,F: Folken & Kitten)

For @yearlyesca‘s Pic’n’Fic to accompany @drkstars-art’s Folken + kitten. The theme is “past, present, future.” This isn’t inspired by the Fall Out Boy song, I just snagged the title. Songs used for inspiration are Boyz II Men‘s “ _It’s so hard to say Goodbye_ ” ([Youtube](https://t.umblr.com/redirect?z=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DVastXQ_hPb0&t=M2MwY2Y0ZmYwYjY3MGQ1ZWRhMTY2MWIxMDhkNTlmMGJiMGZiYTYzOCxwZmNjYkRMcA%3D%3D&b=t%3AZdhEXJsPcWKuEXIrlK4BOg&p=https%3A%2F%2Fradical-rad1986.tumblr.com%2Fpost%2F176519711919%2Fthanks-for-the-memories&m=1) and [lyrics](https://t.umblr.com/redirect?z=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.azlyrics.com%2Flyrics%2Fboyziimen%2Fitssohardtosaygoodbyetoyesterday.html&t=M2MxYmZjOTNjZWZhMjVjNTdiZWMzZTA0OGUxMDY4YzJlMDk2NjFiZixwZmNjYkRMcA%3D%3D&b=t%3AZdhEXJsPcWKuEXIrlK4BOg&p=https%3A%2F%2Fradical-rad1986.tumblr.com%2Fpost%2F176519711919%2Fthanks-for-the-memories&m=1)), Linkin Park’s “Don’t Stay” ([Youtube](https://t.umblr.com/redirect?z=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DTHIAGpcYpCQ&t=ODJjNzYzNzRiZTkyMDg4MGUxYjQxMzk1M2EzNTJhYzdjYTA5NjdjYixwZmNjYkRMcA%3D%3D&b=t%3AZdhEXJsPcWKuEXIrlK4BOg&p=https%3A%2F%2Fradical-rad1986.tumblr.com%2Fpost%2F176519711919%2Fthanks-for-the-memories&m=1) and [lyrics](https://t.umblr.com/redirect?z=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.azlyrics.com%2Flyrics%2Flinkinpark%2Fdontstay.html&t=NjY4NjhjZjdhY2Q1NmFkNGFkYzAxY2YxMzRhYTdlMGM5MzczZmUxYSxwZmNjYkRMcA%3D%3D&b=t%3AZdhEXJsPcWKuEXIrlK4BOg&p=https%3A%2F%2Fradical-rad1986.tumblr.com%2Fpost%2F176519711919%2Fthanks-for-the-memories&m=1)), and Clay Walker’s “ _Live Until I Die_ ” ([Youtube](https://t.umblr.com/redirect?z=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DSYj3jndGJts&t=NDQzZTMzMmMyZGU5ODcxNTc5ZTVjYjU1ZTdjZjc1OGQwZjQzOTdhMyxwZmNjYkRMcA%3D%3D&b=t%3AZdhEXJsPcWKuEXIrlK4BOg&p=https%3A%2F%2Fradical-rad1986.tumblr.com%2Fpost%2F176519711919%2Fthanks-for-the-memories&m=1) and [lyrics](https://t.umblr.com/redirect?z=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.azlyrics.com%2Flyrics%2Fclaywalker%2Fliveuntilidie.html&t=YzYxNjExM2U2NWY1ODgwNjYxZWI0MjRhMDM5MmM2NjdkZWE4ZmE1YixwZmNjYkRMcA%3D%3D&b=t%3AZdhEXJsPcWKuEXIrlK4BOg&p=https%3A%2F%2Fradical-rad1986.tumblr.com%2Fpost%2F176519711919%2Fthanks-for-the-memories&m=1)). 

——————————

They played in the fields a few times after he rescued them. Their time there was always short, Lord Folken always had other things to do. Grown up things. They always had to stay quiet and still while they waited for him, usually inside the carriage. Playing in the fields was fun though; sunshine, flowers, the wide field, and Lord Folken’s smile. 

She watched the door close, cutting off the view of the hill blocking the field; Folken’s smiled faded as he read a paper he’d been given. 

-

For a while they slept in a small room filled with things in Lord Folken’s suit. The place he was living was for other things, he’d told them. Two small kittens weren’t part of the plan when the building was built. They didn’t mind. Lord Folken showed them the way to the kitchens and they could eat all they wanted. They cobbled together a few toys from parts he didn’t need and gave to them to play with. Lord Folken was always busy but he always made time to be with them.

She watched the door close, cutting off the view of the room’s contents in boxes, their toys in a different type of box.

-

This time a room was planned for them; it was still small because it had two beds in it. They never told anyone that they shared a bed, they didn’t want to cause more mumbling about them and Lord Folken. They were given different cloths, uniforms similar to the soldiers that they saw at the compound. They were given equipment too, and lessons. Hand-to-hand combat, sword training, and even guymelef lessons! Lord Folken was even more busy now but he still saw them at least once a day at dinner time. He was trying to change the world, he would explain. Lord Dornkirk, Zaiback’s emperor, had a grand vision. 

She watched the door close, cutting off the view of Lord Folken’s face growing almost angry as he clutched the paper in his metal hand.

-

He stayed with them as the new blood pumped through their veins, the other Sorcerers and their helpers refusing to assist. He stayed with them as the fire engulfed the flying fortress and everyone else abandoned the ship. He stayed with them when his emperor ignored the catastrophe in the flying fortress. He stayed with them as their bodies aged and their last breath left them.

She watched the hatch close, cutting off the view of her Lord Folken.


	5. 2019 - 1 - Romance (Leetle DxM fluff)

I wanted to work on my Aston girls x Allen fic. Went out the window. Wanted to write actual romantic DxM fluff. No go. So you get this.

Dedicated to [Millerna](https://archiveofourown.org/users/millerna), of course.

\-------------------------------------------------------

Almost seven-year-old Dryden stared at the gurgling, wiggly little human being in his arms.

His family had come to see the new baby princess because Father and the king were best friends. Father was usually trying to get him to play with Princess Marlene but Dryden thought girls were gross. Marlene wasn’t gross-gross because she was a princess and she was a little older than he was. But she was still a girl. Marlene liked to have tea parties with her dolls. Dryden didn’t like tea. Marlene liked knights and fancy horses, and knights and princesses and flowers. Dryden wasn’t a knight. He didn’t like flowers. Horses were alright, but he liked to go fast and Marlene liked to go reeeaally slooowlllly.

Princess Eries was ok. Dryden didn’t like to play with her either because she liked to play with dolls and always wanted Dryden to rescue them, or her. He’d rather climb trees and throw stones in the gardens’ ponds. Or jump out and scare her. Eries was always reading and was way too easy a target to pass up. Father was always telling him not to scare her. She sometimes rode horses with him, but she wanted to go almost as slow as Marlene. Almost. Not quite.

Green eyes looked into lilac.

Yeah babies were gross, but little Millerna wasn’t playing with dolls and she wasn’t talking about knights.

She wasn’t doing other things that were _actually_ gross.

Dryden started to tell the little baby about his most latest Eries scare. How he’d avoided playing with Marlene just yesterday. How Father had him sitting in with both girls during their lessons. How one of the guards had shown him the secret tunnel between the girls’ rooms and the dockyards. But that was only if something really bad happened. The guard had said ‘only in an emergency. For example, if the castle was burning down.’ He’d said it wasn’t for fun, not for playing in. Or hiding. Or scaring Eries. Dryden told little Millerna about the new, really fast horse the horsemaster had bought last week.

She made baby noises and didn’t wiggle as much.

He told her how he hated, really hated, having to play with her older sisters.

\--

Ragion shoulder-nudged Therese. After the other woman finished talking to Eries about where babies came from, for the fifth time, she turned. Ragion nodded in the direction of her middle child and Therese’s youngest. Amethyst eyes widened in surprise and then smiled. “Meiden may yet have his wish.” Ragion chuckled. “Not fully, but he’ll have to settle. He does wish for our son’s happiness, even if I have to remind him. I think they’ve been over there for an hour.”

“An hour?”

“Yes. He hasn’t moved. She hasn’t cried.”

“I’ll let Grava know tonight. We'll see how their relationship has developed when Millerna is old enough to be betrothed.”

\-------------------------------------------------------

I disagree wtih [Dido](https://archiveofourown.org/works/516319/chapters/914596)’s universe/worldbuilding, but I LOVE the idea that leetle Dryden just fell in love with baby Millerna and she has gorgeous artwork and a great candid writing style.


	6. 2019 - 3 - PnF (Memories: Chid, Allen, Marlene)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A year post-Series, Chid finds something in his father's desk and gives it to Allen, who reads it.
> 
> You maaaay want to have a tissue or two handy for the third part. 
> 
> For Pic 'n' Fic 2019; my partners are: Chid - labeckinator, Allen - causticcurtsy, Marlene - drkstars.
> 
> Absolutely the biggest of thanks for legendofthesevenstars for betaing parts one and two!! (https://archiveofourown.org/users/legendofthesevenstars)

Seven year old Chid slowly unlocked and pushed open the door to his father’s study. Last year after the battle in Godashim he hadn’t had time to properly grieve the loss of his father, he’d had to become duke to try to lead a wounded country. Jareon had told him to take his time grieving, to go into the study when he was ready. The Do Sari had sworn that no one had gone in, other than to clean, since the duke’s death. Anything of political importance had a copy in the Twiprla Halls. Jareon himself had overseen the cleaning, along with two other rotating Twiprla.

 

Chid blinked at the darkness that met him, in stark contrast to the light spilling over him from the hallway. Waiting several minutes, only partially for his eyes to adjust to the darkness, he walked to the two windows and threw them open. The new light allowed him to see the candle alcoves along the opposite wall, one on each side of the door; carved Freidian gods and goddesses were mounted on the wall around the candles. He went into the hall and found the nearest guard, quietly asking for help in reaching the candles. The guard gave him a soft smile, agreeing. After the candles were lit, Chid chirped his appreciation, and the guard smiled again as he exited. Now having a proper view of the room, Chid turned to look.

 

Father’s extravagant desk faced the windows to best utilize the sunlight pouring into the room. Between the windows was a large portrait of his mother. Chid recognized it was of her on their wedding day by the clothes she was wearing. The portrait was the first thing Father would see when he entered the room each day and what he would see any time he looked up from whatever he was working on at his desk. To the left was a portrait of his grandparents and to the right the royal portrait of the three of them after his birth.

 

Walking across the room, he placed a hand on the nearly life-size portrait of his mother. Tears misted his eyes, blurring his vision, but did not fall. Most of Mother’s portraits in the palace had been covered after her death per Freidian tradition. Chid knew what his mother looked like but he’d never seen such a large portrait of her, and up close it allowed him to see that she was indeed strikingly beautiful. He knew he was far too young to understand what beauty meant yet he had seen people who were considered visually unappealing - to call them ugly was rude, he understood that much even at his young age. Staring at his mother, he found himself thinking of Auntie Millerna; they did look very similar.

 

Finally, Chid blinked his eyes and turned to the room. He’d been in here a few times growing up, of course, but it had been more than a year since he’d last been in Father’s study. The room was immaculate and Chid was sure it was organized in some manner. Not yet having his father’s height, he could only see what was just above eye level. A quick scan of all the books, free-standing portraits, and statues along both side walls indicated the books were older than anything current his father would have been working on. The oversized desk in the middle of the room seemed to be apparent place for there to be anything noteworthy.

 

It was extremely large and made from gold, several more Freidian gods and goddesses adorning it. He’d been told the desk was over one hundred years old, having been carved by a monk at Fortuna Temple after a vision and gifted to the reigning duke. The ornate chair was much too big for him and reminded him of the throne. Chid stood still for several minutes, feeling too small for the role before him. After Father’s death, his education had both sped up and come to a halt. Anything relevant to running Freid had taken the forefront while anything of the outside world had been forgotten. Jareon and the Twiprla were still the main rulers of Freid, though Chid was always right beside them, listening, learning, asking questions.

 

A tear rolled down his cheek, then several.

 

An echo of his father’s voice chided him but Chid argued to himself that his father was not here and he was a child. This was his first chance to truly grieve the loss of his father. He spent several more minutes crying, eyes sometimes roving the room.

 

The thought crossed his mind that his mother had spent some amount of time, though small, in this room. Had brought him in when he was a baby and a toddler to see his father. Chid had vague memories of his father in only soft robes, not the sharp points of his armor, before…

 

Before Mother’s death.

 

Thinking of Mother and Father together in this room brought fresh tears, though this round of crying was short. Chid’s memories of his mother were the few pictures in the halls, whatever Father told him, and the storybook Mother had made of Sir Allen’s adventures. He hardly knew her but he felt Father had loved her deeply, until the day he died.

 

He blinked the last tears from his eyes. Sniffling, Chid wiped his face with the long sleeve of his shirt. He rifled through the few piles of paper on the top of the desk and found nothing of particular interest.  While he opened the several drawers to the desk, he thought about Sir Allen Schezar, Knight of Caeli. The drawers mostly contained blank parchment, writing utensils, flint and steel, incense sticks, and what looked like important governmental documents or treaties. Chid had felt - something - between Auntie Millerna and Sir Allen and Father. A quick skim of the documents and he found they were finished items, the dates indicating they were two years old. Auntie Millerna seemed to spend a strange amount of time with Sir Allen, caring for him after she’d performed the surgery even though the palace had plenty of doctors on hand. Not finding anything particularly personal to his father, Chid decided Jareon and the Twiprla would be the best people to comb Father’s study.

 

Pulling out the last drawer at the bottom right Chid found more blank parchment. That seemed odd because he’d already seen several blank sheafs and rolls of parchment in his exploration of the desk. Why would Father have another drawer of blank parchment? As Chid removed the stack, his fingers felt something hard beneath it. Strangely, as if purposely hidden under a very plain stack of parchment, was a thin, hardcover book. Separating it from the parchment, Chid found the book bore the Asturian crest on the cover. It was partially hidden behind a note, tied with twine, that said ‘Allen’ in _Mother’s_ handwriting. There was no other identifying markings on it, so it must be a journal of some sort.

 

Chid sucked in a breath and glanced at Mother’s ring on his left hand, too large for his small fingers. He sat in the chair with the book in his lap. The Asturian crest meant the book had belonged to Mother. But then why…? Why was it hidden in Father’s desk? Why did it appear to be addressed to Sir Allen?

 

The small bit of parchment only read ‘Allen.’ Not ‘Sir Allen Schezar’ or ‘Lord Allen Schezar’ or ‘Lord Schezar.’ Just the first name of ‘Allen’ felt… Chid wasn’t sure what the word was. Personal?

 

The book sat in his lap for what felt like a very long time and it felt very heavy and seemed to get heavier the longer it sat in his lap. Clearly its contents were meant for Sir Allen. It seemed to Chid that Mother had given it to Father, who for some reason had hidden it in his desk drawer rather than giving it to the Knight.

 

Chid traced his fingers over Mother’s handwriting, then the gold of the the sword and the emerald of the two dragons. Desperately did he want to read words from his mother. Aloud he said, resolutely, “I will not read something private Mother intended for Sir Allen.”

 

A thought struck him that he could give it to Sir Allen.

 

But Father hadn’t.

 

And yet Father had kept the journal.

 

Did Father read it?

 

Chid shook his head. Father was stern but good. He’d heard many citizens and many in the Twiprla say that his father had been a very wise duke. He knew that his country had always struggled and that his father and grandfather had been very good to the country. If Mother had meant it for Sir Allen then Chid doubted that Father had read it. Father must have had a good reason to keep it.

 

Maybe Mother hadn’t intended for Sir Allen to receive the journal immediately? And now that Father was dead, here it was, forgotten?

 

Hidden. Father had hidden it.

 

That meant that no one needed to see it.

 

Sucking in a deep breath, Chid closed the drawer. He turned the journal so that the crest and note were hidden against his body and exited the study. Next month there was a summit for all of Gaea to discuss the Great War; he would deliver it to Sir Allen then.

 

\------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Allen watched from behind the greeting party as the Freidian convoy disembarked in the Palas dockyard. While they couldn’t look at him, he could feel Eries’ and Millerna’s concern for him, seeing Chid again a year after the War, this time without the constraint of Zaiback looming. Chid carried himself well, he had grown a few inches and now wore Duke Mahad’s signet ring, mirroring Marlene’s on his other hand.

 

The ring gave him thoughts of Marlene, though they were fleeting. He hadn’t been able to give much thought to their affair, or to anything, since Celena’s return. When things had settled after the final battle, he and Millerna had spoken a little of the past.

 

He refocused as Millerna greeted the delegation, then she and Eries moved forward to greet their nephew personally. Familiar blue eyes sought and found Allen in the Caeli ranks. He gave a small nod to Chid, who responded in kind. The boy made no other action toward the knight and Chid returned his attention to his aunts. After a few minutes Eries seemed to remind them that there were carriages waiting to take them to the palace.

 

As the group passed him, Eries cast a quick glance at him that he did not acknowledge. The sisters, Chid, and a Freidian, who reminded Allen of Voris, boarded one carriage while others of importance sorted their carriage arrangements. His Caeli responsibility fulfilled with no incident, Allen carefully let out a breath. He and three other Caeli boarded their own carriage to also return to the palace. With delegations coming from all of Gaea for the summit, more than had fought in the War, all the Caeli had been called back to the capital to enhance palace security.

 

*

 

Two days later, due to their participation in events leading up to the Great War, Allen and Van were to give an account at the introduction of the summit. He was appreciative that Eries had offered assistance. He had struggled with how to speak about Atlantis’ and Hitomi’s roles in the events before the war. He did not understand how Dornkirk’s attempts to alter fate played into the war and neither did Millerna. Even with Folken having given them some information last year, they thought only Dornkirk understood anything.

 

His information delivered, Allen went to his guard post outside the auditorium. He listened as Van, then Chid, gave accounts of Zaiback attacking their countries. His heart broke a little when Van spoke of Balgus’ death, then more when Chid spoke of Duke Mahad’s death. Allen took in a deep breath and reminded himself that there was nothing he could have done on that battlefield to save Mahad. There was nothing he could do now to help Chid.

 

He hated that he was committing his father’s sin, though he found solace in the fact that trying to be in his son’s life would actually have a terrible effect.

 

Allen reigned in his thoughts. There were new emotions he was continuing to realize. He was there for Celena after her return and she was healing well now. He had learned that Father hadn’t purposely abandoned them and had loved them until his death. He and Eries had even managed to renew their friendship. He and Millerna had settled things between them, even if it was still awkward for them at times. There was no need for stormy thoughts.

 

Evening his breathing, Allen listened as the summit began.

 

*

 

He was surprised that Millerna sought him out after the first meeting adjourned late morning for lunch. After the war she had only sought him out once to discuss their past and their relationship, telling him she wanted his friendship. Over the last year he had only sought her out to assist with Celena. It had been several weeks since he’d seen her last, at Celena’s check-up.

 

Allen observed that Millerna seemed to be keeping track of who was in the hallway with them. The delegates were interested in lunch as they were walking towards the dining hall, in the opposite direction of he and Millerna. There were a few Asturian guards and other countries’ guards in the hall. No one was near enough to pay actual attention to them beyond guarding a princess.

 

“Princess,” he greeted, mindful of their surroundings.

 

“Sir Allen,” she responded in kind, her posture stiff and her face tight. There was a pause while he waited for her to speak. Millerna’s hands played with themselves, she was uncomfortable. Keeping her voice low but even, Millerna spoke, “Chid asked me if he could meet with you in private.”

 

Trying to control his reaction, Allen failed as his eyebrows rose and his mouth opened a little. There were few reasons for Chid to want to meet with him. In all likelihood the boy simply wanted to ask him about the “adventures” that Marlene had told as stories. While that was innocent enough, it was no need to meet privately. On the opposite end Chid might have stumbled upon something that indicated Allen was his father. Allen’s heart skipped a beat. Yet if that was it Chid would have done more at the dockyard when he landed.

 

Either way, it was best that he not be seen with the boy, especially not in a private meeting.

 

Concern crossed Millerna’s face; she probably saw his thought process. “I’m sure Eries could get Sir Lucen to help.”

 

Eries’ personal guard and close friend, who knew much of Allen’s past with the sisters. That wouldn’t be too conspicuous with the added security. Allen nodded, “Yes, that seems satisfactory, Princess.”

 

“Tonight after dinner in one of the meeting rooms?”

 

Allen agreed; they traded salutations and went their separate ways.

 

*

 

Arms crossed over his chest, Allen stared pensively out the window as he waited for Chid to arrive. He’d spent the rest of the day at his posts wondering why the boy wanted to meet with him. Needing someone to talk to, just before dinner he’d approached Eries; rather than Millerna, who had seemed uncomfortable earlier. Eries had echoed his thoughts and her eyes had told him to be cautious. She had easily agreed to Lucen lending assistance.

 

Tiny footsteps alerted him to Chid’s arrival and he turned.

 

“Duke Chid,” Allen greeted, bowing his head.

 

“Sir Allen.”

 

Chid’s voice was a mix of excitement and confusion. He had learned control in the year since the war. There was no wide-eyed enthusiasm of meeting the hero of his mother’s stories. His posture was straighter, stiffer. Chid had grown a few inches and his eyes had gained too many years.

 

Allen’s heart broke for the boy.

 

His son.

 

Evenly he asked, “You wanted to meet with me?”

 

“Yes. I found this in Father’s desk. It has your name on it.”

 

Allen noticed Chid was holding a small package wrapped in coarse shipping paper and tied with twine. He took a step forward and accepted the offering. “You found something in the Duke’s desk with my name on it?”

 

“Yes, that’s right.”

 

It was small, only a little larger than a book and had hardly any weight to it. What would the Duke want to give to Allen? Unless… Suddenly the package became heavy and hot. Should he open it…?

 

Chid made the decision for him by thanking him, bidding him good evening, and leaving.

 

Allen hoped the boy would forgive his lost speech.

 

His fingers twitched towards the knot in the twine. Thinking better of it, he suddenly tucked the package under his elbow. Striding from the room, he nodded to Lucen, then took his horse to the villa he was renting for himself and Celena while he was on duty at the palace.

 

The package called to him the entire trip.

 

Luckily Celena, Gaddess, and Mrs. Cucino were still out; he had the villa to himself. Allen removed his uniform and donned his casual wear. Sitting in the chair by the desk, he slowly picked at the knots of the twine, and succeeding, he pulled the packaging paper away. A low gasp escaped him when Marlene’s handwriting greeted him and the paper fell to the floor. He pulled a note from underneath the twine holding it to a book and brought it closer.

 

He’d seen her handwriting only a few times in their relationship. She’d written him a few notes, shown him some of her writings and poems. He’d always felt that her handwriting was a reflection of Marlene: gracious and lovely. His thumb traced over Marlene’s handwriting. To see it now, after so many years…

 

Swallowing, Allen placed the note on the desk to examine the book. It was slim, with a hard cover, and had the Asturian crest on the front. Allen ran his fingers over the gold of the sword and the emerald of the dragons. Marlene had left him something…

 

… And the Duke had kept it.

 

Shaking his head, Allen dashed away negative thoughts of how long the man had kept the book. He went to the kitchen to get liquid courage and a glass. If Marlene had given it to the Duke, she must have had her reasons. Duke Freid had had a new wife, then a new child, to care for; while running a country. Returning to his room, Allen lit the candles and sat back at the desk. He couldn’t begrudge the man for keeping the book as long as he had. The Duke hadn’t thrown it away; Chid had said it was in the Duke’s desk.

 

Steadying himself with a deep breath, Allen curled his fingers around the cover.

 

\------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Marlene lay in her bed, turned toward the sunlight streaming in through the windows. Footsteps in the hall brought her attention to the door and she smiled as Diana brought almost three-year-old Chid to see her. One set of fingers was in his mouth while the other was in Diana’s hand.  It was new for the toddler to be brought to her personal room and for Marlene to be bedridden so she reached her hand out and called for her confused son. It took him a short moment but then he squealed “Mama!,” ran to her and grabbed her hand. With a wide smile on his face, he tried to pull himself onto the tall bed to join her.

 

“Wait just a moment Chid, I have to help your mother sit up,” Diana instructed.

 

She kept hold of his small hand and forced herself to sit up while Diana arranged pillows behind her.

 

“Ready… aaand _up_!” Diana hoisted Chid onto the bed, good-naturedly grumbling that he was getting heavy.

 

Marlene settled him in her lap, tucking him under her chin and wrapping her arms around him. He turned towards the handmaiden as she set his small stack of parchment and crayons nearby on the bed. “Mama, mama, ‘m not heavy, ‘m I?” His lower lip trembled.

 

The women only partially succeeding in hiding their chuckles and Marlene explained, “It's alright that you’re getting heavy, Love. You’re a growing boy, you’re supposed to be getting heavy. That means you’re growing up.”

 

“Big an’ strong like Papa?”

 

“Yes, just like Papa,” Marlene confirmed, the words having more weight to them than he would ever know.

 

“Yaaay!”

 

“Are you eating all the fruits and vegetables you’re being given?”

 

“Yeees…. Well, sometimes not the yucky ones.”

 

“Which ones are the yucky ones, Love?”

  


“The cabbages and lettuceses!”

 

“And why are they yucky?”

 

Chid stuck his fingers in his mouth and mumbled incoherently around them.

 

“Love, what have we said about talking around your fingers?” Marlene gently admonished.

 

Removing the appendages, Chid quietly answered, “Not to ‘cuz you can’t understand me an’ I need to use my words.”

 

“Very good.” Marlene kissed his hair. “Tell me why you think the cabbages and lettuces are yucky.”

 

“‘Cuz they’re wet an’, an’ all wrinkly an’ they crunch funny.”

 

This time Marlene outright laughed. “Yes, I suppose that’s a logical answer; I didn’t like them at your age for that exact reason and neither did Millerna.”

 

Diana mumbled agreement and something about Eries being perfect that made Marlene smile. “Chid, show Mama what you did yesterday,” Diana reminded him, pointing at the small stack of parchment.

 

Eagerly the toddler leaned over and pulled the parchment closer. “Mama I drawed pictures! Just like you! Here’s one of you, here’s one of Diana, here’s one of Papa, and here’s one of Sir Allen fighting a dragon!”

 

The women oohed and awed over the pictures, Marlene trying not to give too much attention to the one of Allen and the dragon. She gained permission to keep the drawings to decorate her room. Next Chid showed Marlene that he could now name almost all seventy-five letters of the Freidian alphabet with only a little help, count and name the colors of his ten crayons, and knew five shapes - which he drew on a blank piece of parchment. Marlene lavished praise and pride upon her son, hugging him. Feeling her strength waning, Marlene placed one last kiss on Chid’s head. “Love, Mama is getting tired. Go with Diana now; I’ll see you tomorrow, I promise.”

 

The toddler pouted, lower lip trembling; but he hugged her, said goodbye, and quietly went with Diana.

 

Before she left the other woman brought over Marlene’s lap writing desk.

 

Her hands explored the wooden fixture for the second time. Yesterday, the day after the doctor had declared she stay in bed, the Duke had brought it to her. He claimed to have made it himself, from the finest timbre that Fanelia exported. Marlene didn’t even know the man carved or knew his way around a woodsmith’s tools. Her eyes had misted over when he brought in the fixture, along with quill and ink, her colored pencils, charcoals, parchment, and a fistful of Asturian notebooks. It fit over her lap and had a decently wide enough surface for her to draw on. It had wells for the quill, ink, colored pencils, and charcoals to set in. Beneath the main surface was a compartment for parchment and the notebooks.                                                                                                                               

 

Without her making any comment, he had understood her desire for her creative activities despite being bedridden and weak.

 

Marlene had shed some tears in appreciation, burying her face in the Duke’s chest like a child. He’d placed his hand on her head and kissed her hair, then he spent several minutes telling her about the piece of furniture. Her heart had warmed at his compassion and it warmed again now at remembering his thoughtfulness.

 

Checking to be sure there was no one in the hall, Marlene pulled a specific Asturian notebook from the storage compartment, dated Chid’s drawing of Allen and the dragon, and put it in the back of the notebook. Turning to the next fresh page, she again wrote today’s date and described Chid’s most recent accomplishments. She studied the fresh page a moment, then waved the page so the ink dried. Flipping to the front, Marlene read the first page.

 

Chid’s full name, his date of birth, weight, length, and medical information about the birth filled two pages. The next few pages dictated weight gain over the next few months, then led into ‘baby firsts’ like steps, words, sentences, and so on. Marlene remembered clearly the way her heart had soared when Chid first said “Mama” and the light in Mahad’s eyes when he said “Papa.”  

 

The first time Chid had helped Marlene tell a tale of the knight her heart had clenched. After that she’d drawn up simple pictures and written down the tall tales. She’d bound them together into a makeshift book. The Duke hadn’t said anything when Chid had started bringing the book with him all over the castle, quoting lines and showing off the pictures. After a few days Marlene had told him the book needed to stay in his room; it was too fine and delicate to be dragged everywhere. The baby had pouted but obeyed.

 

Marlene skimmed through the entries, pausing briefly on one from about a year ago, _‘Allen - I love and miss you so much, yet the Duke is making his way into my heart. Maybe… I could love him too.’_

 

Hearing familiar footsteps in the hall; Marlene hastily shut the book, hid it in the storage compartment, and swapped in blank parchment and her colored pencils. She began to sketch an Asturian countryside. The Duke turned into the room, stopping just inside the doorframe, and smiled at her; Marlene gave him a weak smile back.

 

“How are you faring today Marlene?”

 

“I am still weak but I did have enough energy to see Chid today. He’s growing so fast!”

 

“He is,” he chuckled in response. “Has the doctor been in today?”

 

“Yes. He still isn’t sure what is wrong with me but said that bedrest is the best solution.”

They lapsed into silence for several minutes, Marlene returned to sketching the countryside. It was slightly awkward but not uncomfortably so for the Duke to watch her in silence. After a short while he stepped up to the bed and reached out his hand, placing it on her shoulder. Marlene placed her hand atop his and they sat in companionable silence for a moment.

 

Squeezing, Mahad slowly pulled his hand away. “I’ll come see you tomorrow.”

 

“I - would like that.”

 

She watched him leave.

 

Pulling out the Asturian notebook, Marlene wrote another entry: ‘ _Allen, I hope you are able to find someone to love, someday; as I have. I wish you a long and happy life. I am happy, I promise.’_ Tearing out a blank page, Marlene wrote Allen’s name on it and partially tucked the page into the book. Placing the book in the storage compartment, Marlene put the furniture on the floor and fell asleep.

 

It happened too fast for anyone to stop; not that there was anything that could be done.

 

The next morning, Marlene could feel the emptiness in her soul. She could barely move, her body not responding when she gave it instructions. Her breath was too quiet and her eyes would barely open.

 

When Diana came in to serve breakfast, she dropped the tray in the doorframe. “Marlene! You’re too pale! I’ll get the doctor.”

 

Marlene rasped out, requesting her son and the Duke.

 

Chid arrived first, bleary-eyed from being woken earlier than normal. “Mama?” he asked. Diana walked him to the bed and Marlene forced her arm out. “Chid, Love, I want you to know that Mama loves you, alright? I love you very much.”

 

“You sound funny Mama.”

 

Forcing a weak smile, Marlene squeezed his hand. “Listen to your father, alright? Grow up to be a strong duke.”

 

Sensing something was wrong, his lower lip trembled. “Ok, I will Mama. I love you too.”

 

Squeezing his hand, Marlene watched him leave as Diana walked the toddler out.

 

The Duke arrived less than an hour later. He rushed into the room, kneeling at the bed and taking her hand. “What’s wrong Marlene?”

 

She handed him the Asturian notebook and requested, “Please, give it to him, someday.”

 

There was a brief pause as the Duke read the name. “I will.”

 

Struggling to take a breath, Marlene said, “I wanted to say goodbye.”

 

“G-goodbye? Yesterday the doctor said - ”

 

“My Duke I’m sorry. You will forgive me, won’t you? I wanted to be with you longer. I really couldn’t help it but I feel deeply in love with you; my lord, my love.” She squeezed his hand and her eyes closed.

 

Mahad wept.

  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Does anyone know how to make Google Drive's single spaces mean single spaces in AO3?? I always get 'extra wide' single spaces in AO3 where I had regular single ones in GD. *Pouts*
> 
> Author’s Notes, Rambling, and Archiving (lol):
> 
> Chid:  
> Word count: 1,570  
> Page count: 4 in Google Drive
> 
> … I don’t think I’ve ever written anything with basically zero dialogue. Wow.
> 
> Jareon is an OC I created for my post-Series Aston girls fic. I think he’s Voris’ younger brother. (I am very ashamed to say that I completely blanked on Voris’ name. I’m a bad fan.)  
> My headcanon is that Voris’ family, usually the oldest but whomever shows the proper aptitude, has been the Head Administrator of Freid for a very long time. According to Fay’s chart (https://fayrinferno.tumblr.com/post/160418747814/freid-info) Voris is directly beneath Mahad. (Compendium says ‘administrator.’) I threw in the idea that there’s a governmental/political hall. The name ‘Jareon’ originated with a dishwasher at the retirement home I worked at between 2009 and 2014, Jaron. Do Sari is probably either Indian or Hindi in origin and is the Freidian title of First Advisor or something similar. 
> 
> I’m glad I attempted to do research on India’s government when I wrote this because I found a name that I’d used for a totally different country that I had wondered the origin of. Originally I’d based Freid on India before paying actual attention to the Compendium and then Fay’s translations. I think some of it still applies though. Also I have a different country that’s more fully based on India. Go figure. Silly past Rad. The name of the governmental/political hall of Freid, the Twiprla Halls, was taken from a Middle Kingdom of India’s past. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twipra_Kingdom
> 
> Marlene making a book of Allen’s adventures for Chid is Aerika’s concept, though it makes perfect sense. 
> 
> I actually played with the idea of Chid finding Marlene’s letter in a hidden compartment but I couldn’t make it work in my head. I figured a locked drawer would lead to awkward conversation with Jareon so I didn’t work that in either. I figured who the hell would be rummaging in Mahad’s desk if there’s so many palace guards wandering around and the contents of the drawers were extra office supplies? 
> 
> The little ‘tagline’ description of this that I wrote at 3 am in Google Drive when I couldn’t sleep to remind myself of this idea is this: Post-Series, in Mahad's things Chid finds a letter to Allen from Marlene and gives it to him. Obviously questions follow. 
> 
> I had to go back and add the twine keeping the note to Marlene’s journal… because Sticky Notes do not exist on Gaea. Yes. You may laugh with me. XD :) 
> 
> I wrote Chid lighting the candles himself. Then realized he probably freaking can’t reach them. *Headdesk* *Think* Would there be step stools in Mahad’s office? NO! He’s tall! GAAAH.
> 
> Yeah… Chid’s probably too mature in this. He’s precious? I wanted to make him eight but I also wanted this to be a three-parter for my PnF submissions that are all tied together. Which means he gives the journal to Allen at the summit after the Gaean War. Which I think would be weird to have two years after the actual war. But what do I know about politics?
> 
> Allen:  
> Word count: 1,600  
> Page count: 4 in Google Drive
> 
> Author’s Notes: 
> 
> Lucen and Mrs. Cucino are from my Aston sisters x Allen fic; or rather for Mrs. Cucino, the new one I’m writing and haven’t published yet. 
> 
> Marlene:  
> Word count: 1,660  
> Page length: 4.25 in Google Drive
> 
> Fayrinn and Google Translate have given us “Ditoa” as Marlene’s handmaiden but I plan to use her in my Aston sisters fic and “Diana” is easier to type. 
> 
> The Cambodian alphabet Khmer has 74 letters and the concept and name/usage of crayons has been around for several hundred years. Colored pencils’ date is iffy and origins are more along with crayons but go with it.
> 
> Leetle Chid absolutely stole the spotlight. XD
> 
> Damnit Marlene why didn’t you call him by name when you died…
> 
> This was actually supposed to be more of the journal that Allen reads but I didn’t want to write all that… Seven gave me the idea to make it more of a scrapbook; originally it was Marlene thinking about Allen and slowly falling in love with Mahad.


End file.
